Roger Federer replaces Rafael Nadal as number one, Novak Djokovic on the slide

Reuters

Paris:  Rafael Nadal's surprise quarter-final exit at the Madrid Masters has seen the Spaniard replaced as world number one by Roger Federer in the latest ATP rankings published on Monday.

Federer returns to the top spot despite not having played since March. Former world No. 1 Novak Djokovic slipped six places to 18th after his second round defeat in Madrid, his lowest ranking since October 2006.

Madrid winner Alexander Zverev remains in third, but the man he beat in Sunday's final, Dominic Thiem, dropped a place to eighth despite knocking out Nadal on his way to facing Zverev.

Thiem saw off Kevin Anderson in the semi-finals and it is the South African who inherits his seventh spot, the 31-year-old's highest ever ranking.

The highest mover in the men's charts is Madrid semi-finalist Denis Shapovalov with the Russian teenager jumping 14 rungs to a best ever 29th.